Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The limit...

It is official. I have reached my limit.

Yesterday I spent 3 hours waiting at CVS for Aiden to get his flu shot, since his doctor's office is out of them and doesn't expect to get more. (Don't get me started on that one, either--I've been calling to get an appointment since the beginning of September!) That's 3 hours sitting on a floor or standing in the baby care aisle of CVS with about 30 other parents and kids, all while trying to entertain a 10-month-old and 4-year-old with a very small stash of toys and snacks. Right smack in the middle of Aubrey's nap time.

Aiden insisted on waving his rear end in other kids faces, fake farting, and pointing to his penis and saying, "This is the opposite of nice!" over and over again (I have NO IDEA where he learned that one!). I was mortified by his behavior. And once our names were called, I had to drag him into the exam room, chase him all the way to the front door when he bolted upon seeing the needle, and then pin him into a move worthy of the pro-wrestling circuit to get him his injection.

Afterwards, I had to stop at the grocery store to buy food for dinner, since we had been out of town all weekend and the cupboards were pretty bare, and he whined and cried through the entire store. Aubrey, who was exhausted and cranky and had missed her nap, joined him. Whining in stereo--yippee for me.

Today Aubrey was stung by a bee right after I arrived at Kroger and began my full grocery shopping trip. I ran to the first aid aisle and grabbed Benadryl, which kept her hand from swelling too bad, but that meant that 15 minutes into our shopping trip, she was tired and cranky. Aiden was with me, and I had procured him his own kid-sized shopping cart to keep him entertained and engaged. Yeah, great idea: my heels were being ran over every 2 seconds and I spent the entire trip scolding, "Stop running into things! No spinning the cart in circles! You can NOT just push the cart and let it go flying across the store!!" I also ended up bringing home a few extra items that I hadn't anticipated buying--like a box of Fruit by the Foot and some cookies that he managed to sneak by when I wasn't looking.

Last week had been much of the same--tantrums, whining, lying, messes... rinse & repeat. And since we spent the weekend driving to Oklahoma and back for a family reunion and to visit both of my grandparents, it didn't exactly offer any relaxation or relief from the insanity. Aubrey woke up every few hours Saturday night, since she was sleeping in the same room as Brad and I, and Aiden was suffering from an acute case of "grandparent-itis" (aka--acting spoiled rotten), so I was ready to push something sharp in my ears by the time we arrived home Sunday night.

To top it all off, Brad had to leave town this morning and won't return until tomorrow evening. So, after an evening of unloading groceries, cooking dinner, cleaning the kitchen, giving 2 baths, wrestling Aubrey into PJ's and fighting Aiden over brushing his teeth, taking out the trash and cleaning the dogs muddy paws, I am utterly and completely exhausted. Finished. At my limit.

Tomorrow night, I am putting out the "off-duty" sign. Mom is taking a much deserved night off--no cooking, no cleaning, no bedtime routine, and no kids. I'm thinking a yummy dinner somewhere accompanied by a big ol' margarita. When I leave, I'll be tearing out the driveway to get away. But by the time I return home, I'm sure I'll be anxious to tip-toe into their bedrooms, tuck them under the covers, and kiss their adorable sleeping heads. I love my children dearly--but sometimes, I love them better after I've had a few hours away!

Want to hear more about the Pack?

Check out A Belly in Bloom, a page devoted to Angela's pregnancy with Aubrey. You can see belly pics, sonograms, and learn more about how Aubrey (formerly known as "The Bean") came to be the lovely little girl she is! You can also find Angela's favorite recipes and newest food experiments at Cooking with the Parker Pack.